On Carbon MUMoxide

One day, while engrossed in my music class (MUS217), there was a strange odor drifting through the class. As a gas turbine propulsion engineer for the United States NAVY, I found the odor distinctly familiar, carbon monoxide.

The classroom, approximately 2250 cubic feet, was overwhelmed with the stench from 11A.M. to 12 noon. I was compelled to leave the classroom in search of the mysterious cause.

I explored the building and was able to determine that the odor was localized to a particular wing of the building which harbored a garage on it’s north side.

I overheard individuals, what I believe to be faculty, discussing something about diesel fuel and a backhoe. So strange, so I investigated outside but couldn’t find the machinery anywhere — nor any trace of the odor.

By lunch break, 12 noon – 1 P.M., I had a headache indicative of such inhalation. I proceeded to contact the university by phone. I called the main line and spoke to the receptionist about the experience in what the university refers to as the LIB-SCI building. The receptionist said I needed to contact someone else, and gave me another phone number for the physical plant. When I called the number I re-explained the situation but unfortunately it was the wrong number to a different department on campus. They did, however, give me a third number which did ring through to the correct department. The downside, I was forced to leave a voice mail about the situation, and proceeded to notify my professor via email about the actions I took.

I had determined that the fumes must have distributed themselves through the ventilation system, moving from the attached garage and into the classrooms. Being February, I doubt anyone would want to repair this sort of machinery outside in the cold where the grounds were covered by a fresh layer of Iowa snow.

When I returned, my professor seemed to be discussing the scenario on their cellular phone. I recall one of the students covering their mouth and nose during class, and I’m certain that everyone wondered what the strong odor was.

I did, however, find it strange that no one came to inform the class of what we had been subject to, particularly considering the health risks associated with such conditions.

I finally spotted what I believed to be the culprit days later parked just outside the garage — but I can’t be certain having not actually witnessed the execution of actions which gave rise to the circumstances. I did get a picture of the machine though, it seemed to fit the description of a machine which might have needed maintenance and may have produced such fumes — The Vermeer D16x20A Navigator horizontal directional drilling machine powered by a Cummins diesel engine if I’m not mistaken.

I’m sure it was an innocent and well intentioned error. While my disposition is unsavory in respect to the university’s operations, I find that faculty and students do have a positive and much needed pursuit for peace and harmony. It is the lack of resources and management which likely led to the machine’s dysfunction and subsequent demand for repair. Again, I find that the people are good well intentioned individuals who do their best to create the best experience for students and faculty alike.

After my — and likely others — making a “stink” of the matter, I doubt it will occur again.

There is a wall that you will hit in the \"movement\" that poses as a secular non-profit organization to bring heaven on earth. It will damage your third eye forever because you won't be able to tell what is reality and what is dissonance from the reality. This the experience of non-duality with a crack. And you are not part of the crack or th […]

My kid went to the Maharishi School in Melbourne, Australia. We chose the school because we wanted a gentle, nurturing environment with high academic standards and individualised teaching (it is a really small school). What we got is outdated, poor quality teaching and a lot of cultish behaviour from staff and management who unthinkingly do what senior manag […]

Maharishi would manipulate sexual encounters with his followers, this is well documented. Old Ru's in Fairfield try to follow his example. Students get raped and it gets swept under the rug. They inspire suicide after suicide after suicide. They are a death cult, criminals, murderers and they should be held accountable for the actions in a court of law.

Key Websites

David Wants to Fly is a 2010 German documentary film that follows its director, Berlin-based, film school graduate David Sieveking, as he interacts with his film hero David Lynch, and explores the Transcendental Meditation movement.

It's that time again. Every few years, another book selling Transcendental Meditation, written by a nearly life-long TM teacher or satisfied customer, lands on the store shelves, with the backing of a major publisher. The latest is "Strength in Stillness," written by David Lynch Foundation executive director Bob Roth as part of the Foundation […]

There was, or at least seemed to be, a time, before Mahesh went totally crackers with his narcissistic obsession for fame and fortune, that TM had a side that recognized the personal worth of those who got involved. Individual personal worth wasn't particularly marketable, however (or Mahesh couldn't bother to focus on that kind of thing) and so, i […]

Here's an excerpt from a book written by a "meditation mentor" in Singapore. My posting of this excerpt is not to endorse any system of meditation or any religious tradition. It does serve as a rather thorough exploration of the downsides of meditation, and why it may not be recommended for a lot of people.REAL DANGERS OF MEDITATION[Abridged f […]

TM: religion, cult, science? Sure, why not! It's how you play the game, plain and simple. An old-time friend wanted to know why I, such a devoted, committed, true-believer (in the old days), quit TM. When I said I began to feel that I was living a lie, he declared a whiff of bovine excrement. He was right.It was so much more than that. But the words tha […]

This article appeared in the Wall Street Journal. Most of us might well see some less than rigorous search for facts. Following this article is a former TM teacher's response. ←↕→ Bob Roth, chief executive of the David Lynch Foundation, teaches transcendental meditation to a range of students, from elementary-school children to CEOs by Alexandra Wolfe h […]

I have some questions which I am hoping some of my fellow old-timers can help supplement my memory about TM teaching practices in the old days of the 1970’s. Beyond what is in the checking notes, did TM teachers receive any training or instruction about handling situations where meditators were experiencing significant physical or psychological problems? W […]

I learned TM in 1968. I spent two years as one of Mahesh's secretaries. Then, I abandoned TM/Mahesh in 1976 (or thereabouts). I learned a lot and came away not as damaged as many I knew and observed. So between then and now, I have given my life-experience some consideration.Yes, to begin, I am well aware that many claimed and a few demonstrated that TM […]